Diamonds Are Forever

James Bond is sent to investigate a diamond smuggling ring and after following up a contact in Amsterdam ends up in the gambling capital of the world.

Investigating the reclusive Willard Whyte, he learns the diamonds are destined for a research laboratory in the Nevada desert where a satellite is being constructed.

Breaking into the penthouse of The Whyte House, the Las Vegas hotel owned by Whyte, 007 comes face to face again with his nemesis, Ernst Stavro Blofold.

What we say

Diamonds Are Forever returns to the trajectory started with You Only Live Twice and abandons Ian Fleming almost completely. The film really marks the start of the series’ more comic period typified by Roger Moore; it has plenty of good lines though and John Barry’s score is superb.

Locations

Original release

Premiere: 17th December 1971 at the DeMille theater in New York (although it was shown on 14th December in Berlin)
UK: 30th December 1971 at the  Odeon Leicester Square
US: 17th December 1971

Principal crew

Cast

Drinks

• Glass of sherry
• Scotch
• Vodka martini
• Mouton Rothschild ’55

Cars

Ford Mustang Mach I Fastback  (1971)

Quotes

• “That’s quite a nice little nothing you’re almost wearing. I approve.”
• “Was that Burt Saxby? Tell him he’s fired!”
• “Hi, my name’s Plenty.”
  “Of course it is.”
  “Plenty O’Toole.”
  “Named after your father, no doubt.”
• “Well, they’re both aboard, and I must say Miss Case seems quite attractive… For a lady!”
• “The stiff, ehm, the deceased back there… Your brother, Mr. Franks?”
  “Yes, it was.”
  “I got a brother.”
  “Small world.”
• “I give up. I know the diamonds are in the body, but where?”
  “Alimentary, Dr Leiter… “
• “Exceptionally fine shot.”
  “I didn’t know there was a pool down there. “
• “I tend to notice little things like that – whether a girl is a blonde or a brunette.”
  “Which do you prefer?”
  “Well, as long as the collar and cuffs match…”
• “Oh, yes. What were you about to ask me?”
  “James, how the hell do we get those diamonds down again?”
• “Unfortunately, our cellars are rather poorly stocked with clarets.”
  “Mouton Rothschild is a claret. And I’ve smelled that aftershave before and both times I’ve smelled a rat!”

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service | Live And Let Die